Computed with the same code as the observations under the main chart and in the API (get_insights). Moving together in time does not prove a cause.
How the indicators changed
Fertility (TFR): 2.82 in 1950 → 1.15 in 2023 (−59%). Thresholds: below 2.1 since 1975, below 1.5 since 2009. The trend broke around 1973 and 1983: −0.02 → −0.1 → 0 a year.
Births: 0.26k in 1950 → 0.2k in 2023 (−22%). Peak: 0.35k in 2001; the latest value is 43% lower. The trend broke around 1990 and 2008: 0k → 0k → −0.01k a year.
Population: 13k in 1950 → 33.7k in 2023 (×2.6). The trend broke around 2007 and 2013: +0.28k → +0.86k → +0.05k a year.
Internet: 0% in 1990 → 97.4% in 2024 (+97 pp). Thresholds: above 10% since 1999, above 50% since 2016, above 90% since 2022. Fastest growth in 1997–2002: 1.4% → 50.8%.
Urban share: 48.9% in 1960 → 97.2% in 2025 (+48 pp). Thresholds: above 50% since 1962, above 75% since 1977. The trend broke around 1969 and 1984: +1.1 → +2.1 → +0.22 a year.
GDP per person (PPP): 66,923 PPP dollars in 1997 → 70,952 PPP dollars in 2023 (+6%). Peak: 86,785 PPP dollars in 2007; the latest value is 18% lower. The trend broke around 2007 and 2013: +1,557 → −5,233 → +1,254 a year.
GDP growth: on average 1.9% in the 2000s, −1.4% in the 2010s, 4.0% in the 2020s. Lowest: −10.2% in 2009; highest: 14.5% in 2021.
Inflation: on average 2.2% in the 2000s, 1.4% in the 2010s, 2.8% in the 2020s. Lowest: −0.1% in 2020; highest: 5.9% in 2023.
What changed at the same time
The fastest decline of "Fertility (TFR)" was in 1972–1982: 2.29 → 1.30. Over the same years: births 0.31k → 0.22k; population 18.8k → 22.1k; urban share 63.8% → 85.4%; no data for the others in those years.
Over the last 10 years (2013–2023): fertility (TFR) 1.48 → 1.15; births 0.33k → 0.2k; population 33.6k → 33.7k; internet 97.3% (2023); urban share 97.1% → 97.1%; GDP per person (PPP) 58,468 PPP dollars → 70,952 PPP dollars; GDP growth −0.8% → 0.4%; inflation 1.6% → 5.9%.
How the indicators relate
Fertility (TFR) and internet (1990–2023, 23 years): levels are barely related (r = −0.13); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = 0.13).
Fertility (TFR) and urban share (1960–2023, 64 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.95); year-to-year changes are weakly related (r = −0.28).
Fertility (TFR) and GDP per person (PPP) (1997–2023, 27 years): levels are noticeably related, in the same direction (r = 0.42); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = 0.23).
Forecasts vs actual
Fertility (TFR): past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 0 of 1 revisions (2022–2022) and above in 1; median gap +0.1%.
The UN 2022 projection expected today's level (1.15, 2023) only around 2024: reality is 1 year ahead of it.
Fertility (TFR): UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 1.29 (+13% vs 2023), 2100 — 1.43 (+25% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 0.93.
Births: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 0 of 1 revisions (2022–2022) and above in 1; median gap +0.5%.
Births: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 0.24k (+17% vs 2023), 2100 — 0.24k (+17% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 0.1k.
Population: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 2 of 12 revisions (1998–2022) and above in 10; median gap +2.7%.
Population: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 33.7k (0% vs 2023), 2100 — 31.2k (−8% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 23.2k.
GDP growth: IMF next-year forecasts (21 editions, 2012–2022). On average the outcome was 0.5 pp above the forecast; below it in 43% of cases; typical error ±2.5 pp. The biggest miss was for 2021: IMF, April 2020 expected 5.4%, the outcome was 14.5%.
GDP growth: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2024 — 1%, 2026 — 1.3%, 2031 — 1.3%.
Inflation: IMF next-year forecasts (23 editions, 2012–2023). On average the outcome was 0.2 pp above the forecast; below it in 52% of cases; typical error ±1.2 pp. The biggest miss was for 2022: IMF, October 2021 expected 0.9%, the outcome was 5.3%.
Inflation: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2025 — 2.3%, 2027 — 2.6%, 2031 — 2%.
UN projections vs actual
Solid line: actual data, UN WPP 2024 estimates to 2023, then national statistics where comparable with the UN. Dashed: medium variants of past UN revisions. The table shows what each revision expected for the latest year (or five-year period) with actual data.
Population
persons, 1 July
Actual
UN 1998
UN 2000
UN 2002
UN 2004
UN 2006
UN 2008
UN 2010
UN 2012
UN 2015
UN 2017
UN 2019
UN 2022
UN 2024, medium
Release
Target period
Horizon
Expected
Actual
Actual vs expected
UN 1998
2023
25 years
32.1k
33.7k
+5%
UN 2000
2023
23 years
32.1k
33.7k
+5%
UN 2002
2023
21 years
32k
33.7k
+5.4%
UN 2004
2023
19 years
30.4k
33.7k
+11%
UN 2006
2023
17 years
33k
33.7k
+2.3%
UN 2008
2023
15 years
33.1k
33.7k
+1.8%
UN 2010
2023
13 years
33.4k
33.7k
+1%
UN 2012
2023
11 years
32.6k
33.7k
+3.4%
UN 2015
2023
8 years
32.7k
33.7k
+3.1%
UN 2017
2023
6 years
34.1k
33.7k
−1.2%
UN 2019
2023
4 years
34.2k
33.7k
−1.2%
UN 2022
2023
1 year
33.6k
33.7k
+0.3%
Births
births per year
Actual
UN 2022
UN 2024, medium
Release
Target period
Horizon
Expected
Actual
Actual vs expected
UN 2022
2023
1 year
0.2k
0.2k
+0.5%
Total fertility rate
children per woman
Actual
UN 2022
UN 2024, medium
Release
Target period
Horizon
Expected
Actual
Actual vs expected
UN 2022
2023
1 year
1.15
1.15
+0.1%
IMF forecasts vs actual
Solid line: actual values from the latest IMF edition (data get revised, so we use the newest). Dashed: April editions, current year and five years ahead. The table covers next-year forecasts from all editions: mean error shows bias, mean absolute error shows accuracy.
Real GDP growth
% per year
Actual (IMF)
WEO, April editions
Indicator
Forecasts
Mean error
Mean absolute error
Actual below forecast
Real GDP growth
21
+0.5 pp
2.5 pp
43%
Inflation
23
+0.2 pp
1.2 pp
52%
Unemployment rate
23
+0.2 pp
1.3 pp
43%
Government gross debt
17
−1.9 pp
18.4 pp
71%
All indicators
Demography
Population
33.7k persons, 1 July latest value, 2023
Population on 1 July. UN estimate to 2023, medium variant from 2024; past UN revisions for forecast checks.